of other countries, and worthy to be looked on, he was desirous to buy it." In summing up the character of his friend, Erasmus says, that More was gay without buffoonery ; that his society was so captivating, that however downcast a person might be when he first approached him, it was impossible not to be cheered and enlivened by his company; that, from his very childhood, he had been fond of pleasantry, but that it never degenerated into ribaldry. That though he loved ease and tranquillity, no one, when occasion required it, was more earnest in any undertaking. We cannot conclude more appropriately than by the eloquent tribute to More's memory from the pen of Macdiarmid. "We have now seen the rise, progress, and end of a man, singular in the history of his species, and affording examples worthy of imitation to every individual of his race. In private life, as a son, a husband, a father, a master, and a friend, no character can be contemplated with greater delight, no conduct imitated with more certain advantage.-Careful to discharge every duty which he owed, and limiting his good offices, not by the claims of duty, but by the extent of his power, he found all the relations which united him to his fellow-men, cemented by affection, and strengthened by gratitude. Within the circle of his own family, by persuading where he might have commanded, by alluring where he might have threatened, by being familiar where he might have been haughty, by employing ridicule in place of severity, and mingling goodhumour with every injunction, he was beloved without any mixture of dread, and obeyed with all the alacrity of affection. Anxious that the objects of his fondest attachments should be endued with every quality which could dignify their nature, or secure their felicity, he enforced his instructions by example; and the per petual happiness which seemed to flow from his activity, his ardent love of literaturc, his integrity, his beneficence, his piety, proved an irresistible admonition to the practice of his precepts. "His public life exhibited a combination of virtues and vicissitudes rarely presented in the history of our race. Without having ever deviated, or been suspected to deviate from the strictest integrity, he rose to the greatest eminence as a lawyer, and the highest rank as a statesman. Without having em. barked in one court intrigue, or been guilty of one improper compliance, he obtained the complete confidence of an arbitrary monarch: he enjoyed this confidence for years, without having requested one personal favour. Although the only art which he employed to obtain success in his profession, or the favour of his prince, was the strenuous and unremitting discharge of the duties of his station; yet such was the influence which he acquired over the minds of men, that he was loaded with professional business amidst an extensive competition, and compelled by his sovereign to accept of the most coveted public employments. As a pleader, his exertions were never unapplauded; as a judge, his decisions were never controverted; as a statesman, his counsels were never suspected. In one unfortunate conjuncture, we find the prejudices of education and the violence of theological dissentions, confounding his better judgment, and hurrying him into acts, which neither justice nor humanity can pass uncensured: yet, even then, he acted from mistaken principle. "The succeeding transactions of his life present only objects of admiration. Anxiously procuring his dismission from office, when he could no longer serve his country without sacrificing his integrity, he retired from power, splendour, and affluence, to all the privations of a poverty, the fruit of his disinterested patriotism. Yet his cheerfulness suffered no diminution; and if he looked back on his former state, it was only with a smile of satisfaction at the temptations which he had escaped. As the closing prospects of life darkened around him, his unaltered mind appeared only more brilliant from the contrast; and his departure from the world seemed too desirable to excite regret. Many have met their undeserved death on the scaffold with undaunted heroism; but few have so completely overcome the apprehension of quitting life, the anguish of parting with friends, and indignation at the malice of enemies, as to display, in their behaviour, no constrained fortitude, no affected tranquillity, no ill-disguised bitterness at the injustice of their fate. Yet so well did the mind of More appear reconciled to the world, and tempered for the next, that he seemed well-pleased with his stay, yet gratified with his departure. On the scaffold, he proved by example, that there is nothing to excite dismay, nothing to call forth pity, in the death of the innocent: and fell a memorable martyr in the cause of integrity, a memorable instance of the ascendancy which the human mind may acquire over every antagonist with which it is destined to combat." APPENDIX. No. 1. (See page 134.) Queen Catharine and King Henry to Cardinal Wolsey: a joint letter-(1527.) I you MY LORD:-In the most humble wise that my heart can think, I pray you to pardon me that I am so bold to trouble you with my simple and rude writing, esteeming it to proceed from her that is much desirous to know that your grace does well, as I perceive by this bearer that you do; the which pray God long to continue, as I am most bound to pray: for I do know that the great pains and trouble have taken for me, both day and night, is never likely to be recompensed on my part, but only in loving you next unto the king's grace above all creatures living; and do not doubt but the daily proofs of my deeds shall manifestly declare and affirm my writing to be true, and I trust you do think the same. My lord, I do assure you that I do much desire to hear from you some news of the Legate, for I do hope as they come from you they shall be very good, and I am sure that you desire it as much as, I and more an it were possible, as I know it is not. Confirmed in a stedfast hope, I make an end of my letter, written with the hand of her that is most bound to be [Here Queen Catharine's part ends, and Henry concludes the letter.] The writer of this letter would not cease till she had caused me likewise to set to my hand, desiring` you, though it be short, to take it in good part. assure you there is neither of us but that greatly desireth to see you, and much more rejoice to hear that you have escaped this plague so well, trusting the fury thereof to be passed, especially with them that keep good diet, as I trust you do. The not hearing of the Legate's arrival in France causeth us somewhat to muse; notwithstanding we trust, by your diligence and vigilancy (with the assistance of Almighty God), shortly to be eased out of that trouble. So no more to you at this time, but that I pray God send you as good health and prosperity as the writers would. By your loving Sovereign and Friend, This is a highly interesting letter, as furnishing another proof, among the many, that, whatever were Henry's scruples, if any such indeed troubled his mind, or however blinded by his criminal passion for Anne Boleyn, or determined at all hazards to get rid of Catharine, he could not but respect her. It is evident that the queen's mind is full of anxiety for the coming of Cardinal Campeggio, and this feeling is earnestly, naturaily, and undisguisedly expressed; not so the manner in which the king speaks of it; his expressions, though simple in appearance, will, if duly weighed, be found cautious, and calculated to meet the unsuspecting eye of the queen. No. 2. (See page 194.) More's Epitaph, composed by himself. Urbe Londinensi, familiâ non celebri sed honestâ, natus, in literis utcunque versatus, quum et causas aliquot annos juvenis egisset in foro, et in urbe suâ pro Shyrevo jus dixisset, ab invictissimo rege Henrico octavo (cui uni regum omnium gloria prius inaudita contigit, ut FIDEI DEFENSOR, qualem et gladio se et calamo vere prestitit, meritó vocaretur) adscitus in Aulam est, delectusque in Consilium, et creatus Eques, Proquestor primùm post Cancella |